Sketching haptic system based on point-based approach for assisting people with down syndrome

Abstract

This paper describes the 2D sketching haptic system (2DSHS) designed for the assessment and training of sketching control movements. The system has been developed for people with Down syndrome, who can use the system for drawing simple and complex sketches. These users are able to feel virtual objects by using a haptic device, which acts as a virtual guide taking advantages of its force feedback capabilities; in fact, the haptic device is driven under the user's movements and assisted through the Magnetic Geometry Effect (MGE). The 2DSHS has been used as an input device for tracking the sketching movements made by a user according to the visual feedback received from a physical template without haptic assistance. Then, the 2DSHS has been used as an output device that provides force feedback capabilities through a point-based approach. Preliminary evaluation has been performed in order to validate the system. Two different tasks have been performed -sketching a template and hatching a surface- with the aim to obtain more information related to the accuracy of the device. The performance has been evaluated by comparing the analysis of the tracking results. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.